Russia initially tried to interest the United States in purchasing Alaska in 1859, during President James Buchanan's administration. But the Civil War stalled negotiations. Seward, Secretary of State under presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, supported American expansion and was eager to acquire Alaska. However, convincing the Senate that Alaska was an important addition to the United States proved difficult. The upper house ratified the treaty by just one vote.
On March 30, 1867 the Treaty of Purchase was signed in Washington D.C., was affirmed by the Senate on April 9th, and signed by President Andrew Johnson on May 28th. The document was then signed by the Russian Tsar, Alexander II, in May and in June the sides exchanged ratification certificates.
Formal transfer of the Territory was made at Sitka on October 18, 1867 when Secretary of State William H. Seward signed an agreement with Baron Edouard de Stoeckl, the Russian Minister to the United States. The agreement ceded possession of the vast territory of Alaska to the United States for the sum of $7.2 million, about two cents an acre. A check for payment was issued on August 1, 1868 and made payable to Stoeckl.
When the news about selling Alaska became known in Russia, people refused to believe it. Newspapers wrote that it was nothing but a "mean, disgusting joke upon the Russian society." By many, it was considered another blunder committed by Alexander II for a modest sum of money that did Russia little good. The reaction was rather indignant and emotional, until the government made its point of view public. Russian advocates of the deal believed that Alaska's remoteness was an impediment to administration of the territory, and also hoped its sale would help strengthen friendly relations with the United States.
Few citizens of the U.S. could fathom what possible use or interest the 586,000 square miles of land would have for their country. In a speech given at Sitka on August 12, 1868, however, Secretary Seward claimed he did not doubt "that the political society to be constituted here, first as a Territory, and ultimately as a state or many States, will prove a worthy constituency of the Republic." President Andrew Johnson expected that Congress would establish the civil organization of the territory.
